creating space for beauty & simplicity

and the celebrating continues.
this morning we had friends and family over for a birthday brunch for hannah.
we made a very large dutch baby (a recipe from a bed and breakfast on our honeymoon to alaska), potato hash with spinach and eggs, fresh fruit, cream scones and salty dogs made with fresh squeezed ruby red grapefruit. (from 3191Q).
the conversation and company lingered well on into late afternoon making for the perfect sunday.

i just washed the last dish and there is a game of back gammon waiting for me.
it’s 5 o’clock and we can still play by daylight!
spring is coming.

well it seems as if we are all wearing our stay at home weekend well.
everyone is on the mend and feeling like their old selves again.
the last few days have been full of playing games, hot baths, making music, watching, finishing up knitting projects, reading library books and lots of baking including homemade pita bread and a birthday carrot cake for hannah (both from 3191).

we had plans of a trip to the lake over the holiday weekend but the flu has hit.
we were all a bit disappointed this morning as we made the final decision to not go but soon began to feel much better as we started shouting out some good things about staying home.

:: it’s so much better to be in your own bed when you’re not feeling well.
:: mama can bake us all sorts of goodies including hannah’s birthday cake.
:: we can watch the last episode of downton abbey on sunday now! (mama was stressing a bit about missing it)
:: we can nibble on valentine treats and sip tea in bed.
:: we can snuggle up and watch lots of movie.
:: if we are feeling better in a day or two we can take hannah out to get her some hiking boots for her birthday.
:: in only 3 more weeks we will visit the lake.

February 13, 2013

Instrument Making
Did you know a simple whistle could be made from a piece of bamboo? How about a xylophone from copper pipes? In this program we will focus on designing and building musical instruments from usual and creative materials. We will also explore the wonder of sound. We will investigate whether sound travels better through a solid or a gas and other fun experiments. Come and explore the mysteries of sound.

description of a program chris is teaching over the next 8 weeks.

i think he had so much fun making the ukelele that he wanted to explore a little bit more.

on sunday hannah celebrated her 11th birthday with friends for a game party.

we had 3 stations set up with different board games and card games.
there was jenga, skip bo, milles bournes, boggle, mastermind, battleship, sorry, scribblish, wildcraft and blink among others.
there were peanuts and pretzels on each table for snacking and for lunch hannah chose BLTs, potato chips and chocolate milk.
instead of cake (or pie in hannah’s case) she wanted fruit dipped in chocolate fondue which is always a big hit.

i like to stick to a budget with parties so we use what is on hand for decorations. we had a deck of cards that was short a few so we used them to adorn the goodie bags and hang from a paper chain made by hannah.

a few years back i had sewn a paper banner spelling out the girl’s names to hang in honor of their birthdays. i pull it out each year along with simple little paper “happy birthday” flags that i made to make things a bit more festive. i have quite a collection of favorite seasonal cards that i have saved over the years. they make great little pieces of artwork to slip into chris’s card/photo holders for different holidays and celebrations.
the only other thing needed is a bouquet or two and it feels like a party!

the goodie bags included a pad of paper for score keeping, a deck of cards, a pair of dice and some chocolates all of which cost about 2 dollars per bag.

we have on occasion held parties at the bowling alley and roller rink. but most years we celebrate with good old fashioned house parties.
sometimes i worry that attendees might get a bit bored.

but as i was walking in with a BLT and chips to be served i heard someone exclaim “hannah you always have the best parties!”

and really all we did was open up the game cabinet.

February 2, 2013

it feels so good to be home and in a rhythm again.
after being away for a week and then catching the flu upon our return it took me a little while to feel like me again.
i find myself sprucing up corners and creating new vignettes whenever i am coming back from something.
a fresh start.

we are having friends over for breakfast this morning.
a very large dutch baby, scalloped potatoes, fresh fruit and coffee.
i love the idea of entertaining in the morning. a bit more simple.
and then there is the rest of day to either relax or get things done.

my january list of goals is still in progress.hannah’s hat is half way finished on the needles.
i am almost finished my january book.
i was walking every single day until i got the flu but am now back to early morning brisk walks.
and my uke has been a little neglected these days but i have plans on picking it up after breakfast today.

so for february…
complete january’s goals
knit norah a hat
prepare for “small-scale gardening” class (more on that later)
spackle and patch kitchen walls in preparation for a march painting party.
make pita bread

chris’s parents are taking the whole family on a trip.
it’s someplace warm and sunny and we leave tomorrow!

it’s funny pulling out our bathing suits and shorts in the middle of winter.
we’ll be gone for a week but you can follow along with us up on deck here.
i apologize ahead of time for the many margherita and blue sky shots that are soon to come.
i’ve got my nautical wear all packed. thank goodness i have lots of stripes and navy in my wardrobe.
i hope i’ll have my sea legs on!

happy new year!!
my first post in 2013.
i always love the beginning of a year. a fresh start with so many possibilities and opportunities.
yes i think i like those words better than resolutions.

i am loving natalie’s enthusiasm for the new year and her idea of setting monthly goals.
taking it one month at a time seems so much more doable.
and i love how simple her list is for january.
it inspired me to do the same.

so here goes. a list of possibilities.

in january i will…

walk every day.
knit a hat for hannah.
read a book. (sorry i had to copy nat. i so want to read more too!!)
learn a new song on my uke.